CHAPTER Ii. t0 $ere note, Those propositions, which cannot be resolved into two or more simple propositions, are not properly copula- tive, though two or more ideas be connected and coupled by such conjunctions, either in the subject or predicate ; as " two and three make five : majesty and meekness do not often meet : the sun, moon, and stars are not all to be seen at once." Such pro- positions are to be esteemed merely complex, because the pre- dicate cannot be affirmed of each single subject, but only of all of them together as a collective subject. Il. Disjunctive propositions, are when the parts are dis- joined or opposed to one another by the disjunctive particles as, it is either day or night : the weather is either shining or rainy : quantity is either length, breadth, or depth. The truth of disjunctives depends on the necessary and im- mediate opposition of the parts ; therefore only the last of these examples is true ; but the two first are not strictly true, because twilight is a medium between day and night ; and dry cloudy weather is a medium between shining and raining. III. Conditional or hypothetical propositions, are those whose parts are united by the conditional particle if ; as, if the sun be fixed Me earths must "move ; if there be no fire, there will be no smoke. Note, The first parts of these propositions, or that wherein the condition is contained, is called the antecedent, the other is called the consequent. The truth òf these propositions depends not at all on the truth or falsehood of their two parts, but on the truth of the con- section of them ; for each part of them may be false, and yet the whole proposition true ; as, if there be no providence, there will be no future punishment. IV. Causal propositions are, where two propositions are joined by causal particles ; as, " houses were not built that they might be destroyed : Rehoboam was unhappy because he fol- lowed evil council." The truth of a causal proposition arises not from the truth of the parts, but from the causal influence that the one part of it has upon the other; for both parts may be true, yet the proposi- tion false, if one part be not the cause of the other. Some logicians refer reduplicative propositions to this place, as men, considered as men, are rational creatures, that is, be- cause they are men. V. Relative propositions have their parts joined by such particles, as express a relation or comparison of one thing to another ; as, " when you are silent, I will speak : as much as you are worth, so mach shall you be esteemed : as is the father, so is the sun : where there is no tale - bearer, contention will ,cease."
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